NARCS -A Thinking Animal | Album Review

You know, the UK’s been a bit shit lately. Recently we held a vote to decide whether or not we should remain within the EU which saw Leave just scrape victory. This was a referendum coming from the minds of people who immediately said that £350 million going to the NHS – the main statement behind the push to leave – was a “mistake” the next day, and wasn’t going to happen at all. This is then followed by said people stepping down from their roles in Politics, and now we’ve ended up with a new PM and the nation’s brightest hope, Jeremy Corbyn, constantly battling against people of his own party wanting him out. Mental.

NARCS are a band who have taken their frustrations out through the medium of heavy, gritty music and the release of their second album A Thinking Animal is a smartly titled record that illustrates a lot of anger that has been voiced by most of the public, and does so in a way that would make you be proud to be British. I’ve known of these guys since the release of their debut ‘Two Birds, One Stone Later’ and have very much enjoyed having my face melted by their angry outbursts of grunge music.

Opening track ‘Drains’ cements everything said above by ripping through the introductions with a thick wall of distorted guitars mashing together to create something that’s just as gnarly as the vocals, which throw just as much force behind them to really get things going. NARCS pack all kinds of melodies and solos into the sound, and it just sounds badass.

Lead single ‘Pig’ stutters and stirs it’s way through the eardrums with a looming atmosphere comprised of out of sight guitars and skeletal melodies whereas ‘Raus!’ chimes in with a fuller sound, adding in a bit of groove to the record. ‘Bullingdon Boys’ picks the anger back up by delivering some thick haymakers to the face and ‘Mile Die’ has me worried for the throat of the vocalist, goodness me.

NARCS’ A Thinking Animal is a great record. It envelops you into a world that’s full of anger, angst and provides a voice for those who believe we’re truly F-Worded. All of this is wrapped up in an atmosphere that is equal parts unnerving and very liberating. As well as this, NARCS also deliver some of their best instrumentals yet on this thing, making it very easy to headbang your little heart out. It’s great.